The Bangs Everyone Had 10 Years Ago Are Back

Ah, side bangs. That thick, heavy, chunk of hair that covered half of my face from 2006 to 2010.

Always seeing them being worn by my favorite celebs had me thinking those long bangs were supposed to be low-maintenance, but they always ended up being more work than T9 texting on my Motorola Razr.

Yet, somehow, long, swoopy bangs became the hairstyle of the early 2000s. For anyone in need of a refresher: remember Ashlee Simpson's Autobiography album cover, Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie in any season three episode of The Simple Life, and Lauren Conrad's hair on The Hills are all looks that inspired women to get side bangs.

While my side bangs top the list of cringe-worthy reasons why I avoid looking back at my old Facebook photos from college, to my surprise, the look is suddenly relevant again. And its on its way to becoming one of spring 2020's biggest hair trends.

Side-swept bangs have slowly been creeping back into the modern-day hair lexicon since the beginning of 2019, when Halle Berry accessorized her long, sleek ponytail with a set of side-swept bangs on the Golden Globes red carpet. But unlike the side bangs of the past decade, 2020 side bangs are soft, textured, and layered, so they don't completely cover your eye like a blackout curtain. The common thread is that today's side bangs are also extremely versatile, because they work well with at any hair length and a wide range of textures.

Redken global creative director Guido Palau brought the 2020 version of modern side bangs to the Versace Fall 2020 runway at Milan Fashion Week in February. Creating a "boyish kind of ponytail with a deep side part," he used extensions to give models like Kendall Jenner a long, eye-grazing bang.

In order to make the look modern and fresh, keeping the bangs "light and feathered is key," says Sarah Klein, stylist at Nine Zero One Salon in LA. "Keep them very soft and blended, rather than heavy and blunt. It's also important to cut the bangs with the natural texture of the hair, and that your stylist caters to your lifestyle, hair growth pattern, and face shape."

Whether you're in the mood to refresh your current cut or ready to revisit the bangs of your youth, the good news is there's tons of side bang inspiration out there. Below, we've rounded up a handful of celebrities who make this spring 2020 hair trend look so good, you'll want to run to the salon.

VIDEO: These Are the Best Bangs for Every Face Shape

Kerry Washington

The star's pixie cut with long, shaggy layers and swoopy bangs combines all the best 2020 hair trends, plus it shows how amazing short hair looks with side bangs.

Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift's side bangs disappeared when she ditched her corkscrew curls for a shag, but she recently brought back her once-signature look. This soft, textured style mimics the movement her layers add to her lob-length cut.

Yara Shahidi

If you have curly hair, Klein suggests gradually layering the hair to remove weight, which will keep them very light.

Reese Witherspoon

Don't really want to commit to side bangs? Then this Reese Witherspoon look is your answer. She faked side bangs with a deep side part and styling the front layer of her hair in a swoop coming over her eye.

Kaia Gerber

Along with Jenner, Kaia Gerber is one of the models that wore side bangs on the Versace 2020 runway. Paulu blow-dried the hair with his fingers to keep it from looking stiff, then he set the style in place with Redken Triple Pure 32 Hairspray, a strong-hold hairspray.

Halle Berry

Halle Berry leveled-up her sleek low ponytail with a set of soft side-swept bangs. The actress' red carpet look is just one example of how these bangs work with virtually any style — whether your hair is up or down.

Celine Dion

The singer demonstrates just how chic side bangs can actually be.